Top 5 swimmers who can make it to the U.S. Olympic Swimming team ft. Katie Ledecky, Ryan Murphy

By Viransh Shah

Modified May 27, 2024 16:06 GMT

The US Olympics swimming trials scheduled for next month will decide the fate of all swimmers aspiring to represent the United States at the Paris Olympics later this year. More than 700 men and women swimmers will descend at the Lucas Oil Stadium from June 15 to June 23 to give their final shot at the selection process.

It will be an intriguing competition given that some veterans are expected to get a good run from the rising stars in the race to Paris.

Amid the anticipation of which swimmers will vie for a spot in the US Olympic swimming team, here's what we predict for the probable ones to seal the ticket for the Summer Olympics.

#1 Katie Ledecky

Katie Ledecky at the TYR Pro Swim Series Toyota US Open - Day 3

The seven-time Olympic champion can take her legacy forward as the most decorated swimmer in the USA with numerous records in store for her at Olympics and Trials in the coming months.

She can join an elite pool of swimmers who have participated in four Olympics events. In case the Maryland native clinches gold medal in 800m freestyle then she will join legendary swimmer Michael Phelps to win gold medals at four successive editions of the Olympics.

The 27-year-old has competed in just two international meets this year in Knoxville in January and San Antonio in April. She has won five of the eight events featured across the two meets. However, she lost her first 800m race in 14 years after finishing second to Canada's Summer McIntosh at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in Orlando.

#2 Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy at the Toyota US Open TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont - Day 2

The six-time Olympic gold medallist is keen on repeating his 100m-200m gold double from Rio 2016 in Paris this year. He swept both backstroke categories at the 2024 Pro Swim Series in Westmont in March, clocking timings of 53.3 and 1:58.3 in the 100m and 200m, respectively.

Although the Illinois-born swimmer skipped the World Championships in February, a timing of 1:56.64 was his fastest in the 200m back at the USA Swimming's Club Excellence Challenge meet in California. The top backstroke US swimmer will face a challenge from the 21-year-old Jack Aikins at the Olympic trials.

Aikins clocked 1:56.21 at the World Championships, though he finished fourth, it is the best timing in the category by an American this year.

#3 Katie Grimes

Katie Grumes at the Tyr Pro Swim Series Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships - Day 17: Swimming

She was the youngest member of the US Olympic team in Tokyo three years ago. After winning a bronze medal (open-water 10km) at the world swimming championships in Japan last year, Katie Grimes became the first member to qualify for the US Olympic team for Paris across sports.

The 18-year-old won the 10k event at the Open Water National & Junior National Championships earlier this month, clocking a time of 1:58:18. Having won three silver medals at the World Aquatics Championships, Grimes is the most promising athlete in the US to create her legacy.

#4 Carson Foster

Carson Foster at the World Championships in Doha TYR Pro Swim Series Knoxville - Day 3

Carson Foster won a silver medal in the 200m individual medley at the World Championships in Doha to account for his fourth silver in five IM races in the ongoing Olympic cycle. After finishing third and fourth in IMs at the Tokyo Olympic trials, Foster will aim for a first Olympic appearance in the US team in Paris.

Carson's major amendment in the medley after missing out on selection for Tokyo was to stop perfecting his timing standards, as told to Olympics.com. He decided to focus more on inputs of the process, including the training portion.

#5 Gretchen Walsh

Gretchen Walsh

The University of Virginia junior is dubbed to make it to the US Olympic team following her historic run at the NCAA Championships. Gretchen Walsh won all seven events she participated in and set records in the 50 freestyle (20.37), 100 freestyle (44.83), 100 backstroke (48.10) and 100 butterfly (47.42).

In November last year, Gretchen Walsh, the youngest of the famed Walsh swim sisters, opened up about her dreams of competing at the Paris Olympics and returning with a gold medal. At the age of 13, she was the youngest member to participate at the US Olympics trials for the Rio edition.